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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · mouse · mark · mug · hand · land · nail · firm

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — ground
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — steady
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — a trace
  9. land — a country
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mug — to rob
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. hand — help
  17. land — to come down
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. swing — music
  20. mug — a cup
  21. swing — to play on
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com